New RAM doesn't show in control panel/system

[Gorrath]

Hi

I just added 2 gig of DDR2 667MHz to my PC but when I check in control panel/system it still says 2 gig instead of 4 gigs.

When I reboot my PC and go into the setup it shows I have 4 gigs of RAM.

I downloaded this program:

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

It told me I had 4 gigs of RAM

So why can't I see it in control panel/system?

Is my PC really running on the 4 gigs now or do I need to do something else to make it works?

Thanks

Patrick

 

[kamkal]

are u using windows XP or windows vista 32-bit?

you can check which version of vista you have by going to control panel -> system

it will say something like "32-bit operating system"

usually 32bit OS cant see past a certain amount of system mem

 

[Gorrath]

I'm using XP SP2

I don't have a clue about the number of bit though...lol

 

[kamkal]

Xp is 32 bit

thats probably why the OS cant see the memory

on my machine if i put in 4gb i only see like 2.85 gb or something cuz im using Xp as well

 

[Zorg]

You won't see all 4G, but you should see ~3G+ depending on how much RAM your video card has. Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and click on the performance tab. Look at Total Physical Memory at the bottom right. That is how much RAM that XP sees.

Ask Dan: What's with the 3Gb memory barrier?

 

[dallasjoh]

wrong post

 

[Gorrath]

Xp is 32 bit

thats probably why the OS cant see the memory

on my machine if i put in 4gb i only see like 2.85 gb or something cuz im using Xp as well

It can't see it but it's still using it or is it just wasted?

 

[RetiredChief]

gorrath, I think you would know if yo have XP 64 Bit operating system.

I have Win XP 32 Bit with 4 gigs of Ram. Task manager under performance shows I have 3.4 Gigs available for program use, this is a X4870 Grphics card with 512 megs of Ram.

3.2 to 3.6 Gigs out of 4 gigs installed is typical. Users with high end (1 gig VDRAM) and depending on I/O devices usually run 2.8 -> 3.2 Gigs. May need to change memory allocation in BIOS.

Edit - I see Zorg Beat me to it will I was typing.

 

[Gorrath]

Operating System
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600)

System Model
Dell Inc. Dell DXG051
System Service Tag: DG2H1B1 (support for this PC)
Chassis Serial Number: DG2H1B1
Enclosure Type: Tower

Processor
3,00 gigahertz Intel Pentium D
16 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Main Circuit Board
Board: Dell Inc. 0XH241
Serial Number: ..CN1374061J00GR.
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A08 04/07/2006

Drives
320,02 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
238,02 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

DJ1303G BJF946M SCSI CdRom Device [CD-ROM drive]
HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B [CD-ROM drive]
SONY DVD-ROM DDU1615 [CD-ROM drive]

WDC WD3200KS-75PFB0 [Hard drive] (320,07 GB) -- drive 0, s/n WD-WCAPD1272586, rev 21.00M21, SMART Status: Healthy

Memory Modules
2046 Megabytes Installed Memory (Damn!!)

Slot 'DIMM_1' has 1024 MB (serial number F32C9A5B)
Slot 'DIMM_3' is Empty
Slot 'DIMM_2' has 1024 MB (serial number F32C9A9E)
Slot 'DIMM_4' has 2048 MB (serial number 252700FC)

 

[Gorrath]

Oh and my crappy video card is:

NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS

But I was planning on updating this to a 9600GT or a 8800GT

 

[Gorrath]

You won't see all 4G, but you should see ~3G+ depending on how much RAM your video card has. Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and click on the performance tab. Look at Total Physical Memory at the bottom right. That is how much RAM that XP sees.

Ask Dan: What's with the 3Gb memory barrier?

Total physical memory: 2094556

Grrrrr!

 

[kamkal]

if it cant see it, its not using it, it has no way to address it

here's a link to a better explanation

http://blogs.msdn.com/hiltonl/archive/2007/04/13/the-3gb-not-4gb-ram-problem.aspx

 

[Zorg]

Your problem is not the addressing problem that is related to the 32bit OS. I believe your problem is related to the 2GB stick that you put in the 4th slot. It may be related to the max of that mobo. I would say not but it is a Dell and OEMs have been known to pull crap like that. You can call Dell and ask them the max of the mobo and slot. You can try the 2G stick in slot 2, and then try a 1G stick in slot 2. The mobo may also only be able to take one gig sticks.

 

[Gorrath]

Your problem is not the addressing problem that is related to the 32bit OS. I believe your problem is related to the 2GB stick that you put in the 4th slot. It may be related to the max of that mobo. I would say not but it is a Dell and OEMs have been known to pull crap like that. You can call Dell and ask them the max of the mobo and slot. You can try the 2G stick in slot 2, and then try a 1G stick in slot 2. The mobo may also only be able to take one gig sticks.

Someone told me it could because you're supposed to put stick in pairs, is that true?

 

[Gorrath]

I tried removing my 1 gig stick in slot 2 and putting the 2 gig stick in it instead.
I didn't put the other 1 gig stick.

It still says I have 2 gigs only.

I guess I'll bring that 2 gigs stick back to Future Shop and get a refund...

 

[roadrunner197069]

Your mobo probably supports 4G max. Therefore it aint compatible with 2G sticks.

 

[Zorg]

Someone told me it could because you're supposed to put stick in pairs, is that true?

No, it's probably the 2G stick. As I said, try a 1G stick in slot 2. You can put two additional 1G sticks in, but then you will be limited by the 3G barrier. You will probably get ~3.25G so the last stick will only give you a little. The only reason to have them in pairs is to enable dual channel operation. The gain from this is nothing to loose sleep over. Just add one stick to slot 2 and move on.

 

[gamerk316]

Half you guys are missing the problem here:

This is NOT a 3.25 problem. He had 2GB. He put 2GB in. He still has 2GB, not 3.25.

I'm guessing the mobo has a limit on the amount/type of RAM it can take. Try the 2GB stick by itself and see if you can even boot. If not, than its something with that particular stick on that particular mobo.

 

[Zorg]

Did you read the whole thread?

I'm pretty sure this was covered. :lol:

 

[vbg1rl68]

i have a dell optiplex 755, on the site says it will take up t 8G. so i got 4 sticks of 2G. the bios shows 4 sticks of 2, but the system properties only shows 2.98 G.

so to get full utilization, do i need to upgrade to windows 7?
i have an upgrade package, just haven't done it yet-

tam

 

[vbg1rl68]

sorry- i forgot to add, currently i am running XP pro 32 bit
tam

 

[krabapple]

I have the same problem, with almost the same system (Win XP Pro 32-bit, Dell 0XH241 mobo, NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS graphics) using different memory stick. It had 1GB x 2 PC2-5300 (333Mhz) sticks in slots 3 & 4, I added 1GB X 2 of the same to slots 1 & 2 (different mfr though -- the old ones were MOSEL the new ones are Crucial).

BIOS and all diagnostics I can run show that there are 4GB *installed*.

But:

System Properties shows "2.00 GB of RAM",

Task Manager/Performance tab shows Physical Memory at 2094556, with ~106000 available, System Cache at ~1040000

System Information /System Summary tab shows:
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.35 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 3.85 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys


Mobo info
Board: Dell Inc. 0XH241
Serial Number: ..CN137405CM0051.
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A11 09/27/2006


I'm having a hard time finding out what the RAM limit of this mobo really is....one commenter said 4 GB, but the Crucial Scanner throws a warning that says the limit for this system is 2GB for a 32-bit Win OS. Oh well....if that's really the case then the OP and I are both sh*t out of luck.

 

[jale1966]

Hello

I read somewhere, that Windows 7 32 bit will only read a max of 3 GB, it does it on my computer. but reads 4GB in Cpuid and other utility software

 

[krabapple]

Yes, see previous answers on this thread. The physical memory limit of Windows XP on 32-bit (x86) systems is 4GB. Verified here too:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778%28v=vs.85%29.aspx


Typically if you install 4GB of RAM on such a system, it normally shows ~2.5-3 GB of RAM in System Properties and in Available Physical Memory.


In my case the combination of OS and motherboard appear to be limited to 2GB of physical memory, and so it shows even less than that as available.

By contrast here is what my other x86 /WinXP Pro system, with 4Gb RAM installed on different motherboard and with different BIOS, shows in System INformation/System Summary:

Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.64 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 6.84 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys